Health

A 22-year-old man with a cardiac transplant and creatine kinase elevation

Article Abstract:

A 22-year-old man was seen in a neurology clinic because of an elevated creatine kinase level and muscle cramps. He had developed congestive heart failure at the age of 17 and received a heart transplant. He also had a family history of heart disease. Muscle disease can cause elevated creatine kinase levels and a skeletal muscle biopsy revealed that he had Becker muscular dystrophy. This muscle disease often affects the heart muscle.

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy appears to be relatively common in Hispanics living in New Mexico. This disease primarily affects the eye muscles and the muscles involved in swallowing but can also affect the limbs. Researchers diagnosed the disease in 99 women and 117 men from 39 families spanning up to four generations.